Combination padlock



pri! E2, 1938. H. E. SOREF ET AL s r COMBINATION PADLOCK Filed Feb. 4, 1955 .1 fil'agm 2 1' E il-@42 g r INVENTORs 25 HARRY E. \SOIQEF; W, JAMES KE/TH MARSHALL ATTOQNEY Patented Apr. 12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION PADLOCK 'consin Application February 4, 1935, Serial No. 4,869

9 Claims.

The invention relates to looks and more par ticularly to combination padlocks.

An object of the inventionis to provide a strong, durable, and inexpensive combination padlock 5. which has relatively few parts and which can be In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates 7 one embodiment of the invention,

Fig. l is a rear view of a padlock constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being removed and broken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the padlock, taken onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig.3 is asectional view taken on the lin 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a view generally similar to Fig. 1, showing the shackle on its opening movement;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the shackle fully withdrawn;

Fig. '6 is a rear view of the padlock showing the shackle approaching its locking position, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section; I

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken generally on the line l! of Fi 2;

Fig. 8 is a view of one of the rotary tumblers;

Fig. 9 is a view of another tumbler;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a latch plunger;

Fig. 11 is a perspective View of a shackle guide, and

' Fig. 12 is a perspective'view of a tumbler rotating member.

In the drawing, l5 designates a lock case of any suitable shape, and in the present instance of cylindrical form and comprising a front plate 16 and an embossed rear plate ll, the former plate being integral with the cylindrical portion .of the case. The case l5. has anenclosing cupshaped shell l8, preferably a sheet metal stamping, which fits closely on the case and has a front cover plate l9 engaging the front plate It of the case- An embossed rear cover plate 20 mar- *gi-nallybears onthe rear plate I 'I, andboth of these plates are secured in place by a flange 2! formed by spinning over the rear edge of the shell l8. Preferably, the front and rear plates 86 and I1 are further secured in place by riveted pins or posts 22, 2,3, and 24, which also secure the front cover plate [9 of the shell to the front plate !6 of the case.

A guide member 25, preferably in the form of a sheet metal stamping, is rigidly secured within the case, and comprises a flat portion 26 which rests on the inner face of the front plate {6 and is secured thereto by the riveted pin 23. Struck up from an end of the fiat portion 26 of the member is a flange 21 which extends between the front and rear plates l6 and H and is provided with opposite lugs 28 which fit in anchor slots 29 formed in these plates. ing opening, 39 is formed in the flange 2?.

A U-shaped shackle 3| has its legs slidably passing through openings 32 formed in the case and shell. The longer leg of the shackle also slidably androtatably passes'through the opening in the guide member 25, and the shorter leg has a beveled end 33 and a locking notch 34 near this end. When the shackle is withdrawn to its outer A round shackle-guidmost position, the shorter leg clears the shell is,

as seen in Fig. 5, and the shackle is then capable of being swung about its longer leg. The longer leg of the shackle is provided with a keyway 35 in which slidably fits a guide tongue 36 struck up from the guide member 25. A lug 3'l struck up from the guide member is engageable with the end of the long shackle leg to limit the inward movement of the shackle. An annular groove 38 is formed about the end portion of thelong shackle leg and slidably receives therein a forked plate 39 having an angularly extending finger 40'at one side, as best seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 12.. The forked plate is confined on the shackle leg, by the slidable engagement of an edge of the .plate with the flat inner face of the case plate H, which engagement also prevents rotation of the forked plate with respect to the case. The forked plate is engageable with the flange 2'! of the guide member 25 to limit the outward movement of the shackle, as seen in Fig. 5, and the finger 60 forms a combination-upsetting actuator as here- 'inafter described. When the shackle is in its outer or open position, it clears the tongue 36 to permit free swinging of the shackle.

' Alo'cking lever 4|, forming a locking member, is pivotally mounted on the pin 22 and movably carries a spring-pressed latch member, here shown to be in the form of a cylindrical latch plunger 42 slidable in a bore 43 formed in the.

locking lever at right-angles to the pin 22. The latch plunger has a beveled nose 44 engageable in the shackle notch 34 to resist withdrawal of the shackle when the locking lever is looked, as hereinafter described. A compressed coiled spring 45 within the locking lever extends within the hollow inner end of the latch plunger and urges the latch plunger outwardly. A flat-bottomed slot or recess 4% in one side of the latch plunger receives the pin 22 which thus forms a stop limiting the outward movement of the latch plunger and also prevents relative rotation of the plunger with respect to the locking lever. An arcuate tongue or lip 41 on the locking lever co-opcrates with tumbler means hereinafter described.

A stud 48 is rigidly secured, as by riveting, to an embossed portion of the rear case plate I1 and projects forwardly through apertured portions of the front plate l6 and front cover plate 49. The tapered front end of the stud 48 loosely fits in a bore 49 formed in an operating knob 50 which is rotatably mounted in the front plate 16. A dished dial plate 5| is carried on the knob and has opposite key projections 52 (one being shown in Fig. 7) which enter a cross slot 53 formed in the knob. The rim of the dial plate is surrounded by an annular bead 54, Fig. 2, which is embossed on the front cover plate 19 of the padlock shell. The dial plate bears the usual indicia, not shown, and conceals the riveted front ends of the pins 22, 23, and 24.

A driving tumbler or disk 55 is concentric and rigid with the knob 54, as by keying and riveting it on the slotted end of the knob, and carries the usual transfer pin 56. One or more additional tumblers or disks, three being shown in the present instance, are rotatable on the stud 48, and are designated by 51, 58, and 59. These are generally similar except for the positions of their transfer pins 60, and except for certain features of the tumbler 59 hereinafter described. The tumblers are separated by washers 61 which have key projections entering a keyway 62 in the stud 48 and are placed under friction by a compressed coiled spring 63 surrounding the rear portion of the stud 48. As seen in Fig. 2, the keyway 62 stops short of the front end of the stud so as to retain the tumblers and other parts on the stud prior to the attachment to the case of the stud-carrying rear plate I1, which thus forms an easily handled sub-assembly.

The tumblers 55, 5?, and 58 have peripheral slots or notches 64 formed therein to admit the tongue 4'! of the locking lever when these slots are properly positioned and registered with a V- shaped notch 64' in the tumbler 59, thus permitting the locking lever to be swung, as seen in Fig. 4, to allow release of the shackle 3!. The notch 64' in the tumbler 59 has a cam surface 65 which is engageable with the tongue 4'! of the locking lever to urge the tongue out of the tumbler notches when the tumbler 59 is turned. The tumbler 59 is provided with a pin or projection 66 at its rear side engageable by the finger 4!] of the forked member 39 secured to the shackle 3| to turn the tumbler.

When the padlock is to be opened, the combination knob 58 is turned to successive pre-determined positions to rotate the tumblers and bring the tumbler notches into register, as seen in Fig. l, in position to admit the tongue 41 of the locking lever 4|. The shackle 3! is then displaced outwardly with respect to the lock case,

the notched shorter leg of the shackle turning the locking lever 4! to the position seen in Fig. 4,

in which the locking lever tongue enters the tumbler notches. The shackle is thus freed from the latch plunger 42 and can be withdrawn to the outermost position seen in Fig. 5. During the outward movement of the shackle the finger 40 on the shackle engages the pin 66 on the tumbler 59 and turns this tumbler, the cam surface 65 of which forces the tongue 41 of the locking lever out of the tumbler notches, thereby restoring the locking lever to its normal locking position. The further rotation of the tumbler 59 during the withdrawal of the shackle causes one or more of the other tumblers to be turned in the same direction by the engagement of their transfer pins, thus destroying or upsetting the combination, as seen in Fig. 5. The outward movement of the shackle is limited by the engagement of the forked plate 39 on the shackle with the flange 27 of the guide member 25. In its outermost position the long leg of the shackle clears the guide tongue 36 of the guide member 25, thereby permitting the shackle to be swung in either direction about its longer leg. When the shackle is thus angularly displaced in either direction, it can not be moved longitudinally,.since the guide tongue 35 is out of register with the keyway 35 in the shackle, thus facilitating the manipulation of the padlock.

When the padlock is to be locked, the shorter leg of the shackle is re-entered into the case, the beveled end of the shackle leg forcing the latch plunger 42 into the locking lever 4|, asseen in Fig.

6, against the action of the spring 45. The look.- ing lever has a flat surface 61 which is engageable with the peripheries of the tumblers to prevent rotation of the locking lever when the shackle on its inward movement is forced against the latch plunger. When the shackle reaches its innermost position, the latch plunger snaps into the shackle-notch 34. The inward movement of the shackle is limited by the stop lug 3'! of the guide member 25, or if desired, by the pin or post 24.

The construction of the padlock is such as to reduce the number of essential parts and to simplify assembly. For example, the pin 22 connects the front and rear plates of the case, secures the front cover plate of the shell to the front plate of the case, forms a pivot for the looking lever, forms a stop for the latch plunger, and prevents rotation of the latch plunger. The forked plate 39 on the shackle not only forms an actuator for returning the locking lever to looking position and for upsetting or destroying the combination, but also forms a stop for the shackle.

What we claim. as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A lock comprising a pivotally mounted looking lever, a tumbler for blocking the pivotal unlocking movement of said locking lever and movable out of blocking position, a yielding latch plunger slidably carried by said locking lever and forming a projection swingable therewith, and a lockable member engageable with said latch plunger and retained thereby when said locking lever is in blocked position.

2. In a lock, a locking lever, a pivot member for said locking lever, a yielding latch plunger carried by said locking lever and engageable by said pivot member to limit the movement of said plunger and to prevent relative rotation of said plunger with respect to said locking lever.

3. A look comprising a movable locking member, tumbler means for releasably blocking the unlocking movement of said locking member, a

nam

yielding latch member carried by said locking member, a lockable member engageable with said movement of said lockable member out of locking position for returning said locking member to locking position.

4. A lock comprising a movable locking memoer, a yielding latch member movable with said locking member, a rotatably mounted tumbler for blocking the unlocking movement of said. locking member and rotatably adjustable out of blocking position, a lockable member held in locking position by said latch member when said lockingmember is in blocked position, and means carried by said lockable member engageable with said tumbler to turn said tumbler to blocking position on the movement or said lockable member out of locking position.

5. A lock comprising a case having a pair of openings, a locking lever in said case, a tumbler for blocking the unlocking movement of said locking lever and movable out of blocking position, a yielding latch member carried by said locking lever, a shackle having legs movable in said openings and having one leg engageable with said latch member to lock'said shackle, and an actuator carried on the other shackle leg and engageable with said tumbler for turning said tumbler to blocking positiononthe outward movement of said shackle.

.6. A lock comprising a case having a pair of openings, ashackle having its legs movable in said openings and having one leg longer than the other, said longer leg being slidably and rotatably mounted in its case opening and. said shackle being swingable about its longer leg when the shorter leg is clear of the case, and a guide plate secured in said case and having a struck up apertured flange and a struck-up tongue spaced from. said flange, said flange slidably and rotatably receiving the long shackle leg, and said. long shackle leg having a keyway receiving said tongue and being free of said tongue when the shackle is in its outermost position.

'7. A look comprising acase having openings, a shackle having legs slidable in said openings, one of said legs being longer than the other and rotatable in its opening, said longer leg having an annular groove, a forked member movably fitting in said groove and retained against rotation with respect to said case, and shackle-locking means in said case including a tumbler movable by said forked member on the outward movement of the shackle to turn said tumbler out of unlocking position.

8. A lock comprising a pivotally mounted looking lever having a guide opening therein extending transversely of the pivotal axis of the lever,

tumbler means for releasably blocking the unlocking movement of said lever, a yielding latch plunger slidably mounted in said guide opening, and a lockable member engageable with said latch plunger and retained thereby when said locking lever is in blocked position.

9. In a look, a locking lever, a pivot member for said locking lever, and a latch member movably carried by said locking lever and engageable with said pivot member-to limit the advancing travel of said latch member with respect to said lever.

HARRY E. SOREF.

JAMES KEITH MARSHALL. 

